Fleet Street Office Space

Office space on Fleet Street is not necessarily the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the thoroughfare, as it is a metonym for the British national press, long associated with printing and publishing.

Its heritage dates back to 1500 when German immigrant Wynkyn de Worde, known as ‘Father of Fleet Street’, set up his first press near Shoe Lane.

Its strategic location near the Royal Courts of Justice and Old Bailey created demand, and the River Thames, which provided raw materials, led to the street soon becoming full of publishers. It became so popular that a royal proclamation was issued to ban further building on the street due to chronic overcrowding.

The world’s first newspaper, the Daily Courant, was published on the street in 1702. Its popularity with fellow newspapers peaked at the beginning of the 20th century, leading it to be nicknamed the ‘Street of Ink’.

Sat in the EC4 postcode district, Fleet Street runs west to east from Temple Bar, at the boundary of the Cities of London and Westminster, to Ludgate Circus, at the site of the London Wall and the River Fleet, from which the street was named.

During the Middle Ages, senior clergy resided in the surrounding area, and several churches from this period remain, including Temple Church and St Bride’s. This area of London is now often referred to as Midtown.

In the late 20th century, new printing and publishing technology and changes in labour practices led to many newspapers moving out of Fleet Street. This movement began in 1986 when News International owner Rupert Murdoch moved the publication of The Times and The Sun away from Fleet Street to new and cheaper premises in Wapping.

The Daily Express was the last newspaper printed on Fleet Street, in November 1989, at its former premises at No. 120.

Some publishers remain on Fleet Street. For instance, the London office of D.C. Thomson & Co., creator of The Beano, is at No. 185. The Associated Press and Reuters have offices at No. 85, and the British Association of Journalists is based at No. 89.

Fleet Street was particularly notable for its taverns and coffeehouses, which were frequented by those associated with politics and the press. Many of these remain in the street and are Grade II listed.

One of those is Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese at No. 145. It is one of London’s oldest pubs, rebuilt the year after the Great Fire of 1666. It can be found by turning off Fleet Street into Wine Office Court, a narrow alleyway named for the wine licences that were once granted in a nearby building.

Fleet Street and the locale are now home to occupiers from an eclectic range of sectors, such as banking. Goldman Sachs has its London office at Plumtree Court, located at 25 Shoe Lane. C. Hoare & Co., England’s oldest privately owned bank, has been operating in Fleet Street since 1672 and is based at No. 1 Fleet Street, adjacent to Temple Bar.

Global engineering firm Mott MacDonald rents 60,000 square feet of space at 10 Fleet Place, which is positioned just off Fleet Street. Other high-profile occupiers at the property include the professional services firm Interpath Advisory, the global law firm Hogan Lovells, and the American business news channel CNBC.

Fleet Street and the surrounding district offer traditional leasehold offices for rent and a wide range of high-end, flexible office space and workspace solutions, including private serviced offices, managed office spaces, and corporate co-working membership arrangements.

Highly regarded office landlords, premium workspace providers, and B-Corp-certified office providers offer these.

These offer office space in brand-new buildings and elegantly refurbished properties that display Fleet Street’s charming architecture and heritage.

The buildings are amenity-rich and offer ESG-considered workspace, which is increasingly sought out by businesses seeking the highest-quality office space to retain and attract the best talent.

Private serviced offices offer fully furnished and fitted suites, and clients enjoy premium communal amenities, including meeting rooms, break-out spaces, kitchen areas, and cafes.

The managed offices are ready-fitted; however, the client leads the fit-out and furnishing process and can specify private reception areas, meeting rooms, executive offices, bathrooms, shower facilities and other features within their custom office suites.

As the contacts are flexible, businesses can also effortlessly move into larger suites during their tenancies as business needs dictate, with many offices providing space for 200 or more desks.

Unlike traditional rent, flexible offices and workspaces are charged on an all-inclusive basis. This means that the one monthly fee covers rent, utilities, enterprise-grade IT systems, cleaning, security, and other elements such as reception, administrative, and concierge services.

The high-end office buildings are wellness-focused and offer end-of-trip facilities for self-powered commuters, including bicycle storage, showers and changing facilities.

However, Fleet Street occupiers enjoy excellent public transport links from Blackfriars, Chancery Lane and Temple stations.

The City Thameslink station at Ludgate Hill is close by, as is  Farringdon, which provides access to the Elizabeth Line.